MOA Signing for Miss Universe Philippines - Iligan 2027

MOA Signing by and between Miss Universe Ph - Iligan 2027

 

BY JUN ENRIQUEZ

ILIGAN CITY - A contract signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for Miss Universe Philippines - Iligan 2027, by and between the Miss Universe Philippines and the Iligan City Government, was conducted on August  18, 2026, held at the Go Hotel Robinsons mall in Iligan City. The proceedings highlighted the City's commitment to supporting the beauty pageant as a significant driver for tourism and economic development.

Guests during the event were Mr. Verne Padilla, Chief of Staff of City Mayor Frederick W. Siao; Mags Cue, Vice President for Global National Search for Miss Universe Philippines; Angel Ngo Local Director for Miss Universe Philippines Iligan; Mitchie Murphy Diaz, Local Tourism Consultant; Miss Trexy Roxas, Miss Iligan 2025, Miss Universe  Philippines 2026 , and Miss Eco Teen International 2026. On the sideline, Miss Faith Izzy Bengil, Mutya ng Pilipinas - Iligan 2026.

 

Key Features of the MOA signing during the event are the Tourism Promotion: The Local government views pageant as a powerful engine to showcase the city's natural beauty, considered to be the city of waterfalls in the Philippines.

Economic Impact: Beyond the competition, the event is expected to boost local business opportunities, including hotels, transportation, and small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs).

 

Advocacy and Inspiration: The pageant serves as a platform to empower the youth and inspire aspiring candidates to represent the city at the national level.

Representation: Representatives from the city have already achieved success at the national level, such as competing in Miss Eco Teen International and Mutya ng Pilipinas. (Written and Edited by Jun Enriquez, Digital-Mobile Journalist; Photos by Jenifer Bagonbon, Digital-Mobile Journalist, SocMed Specialist)

ICRC President: At 77, the Geneva Conventions remain indispensable to humanity and global stability

 

Statement by Mirjana Spoljaric, President of the ICRC, to mark the 77th anniversary of the four Geneva Conventions of 1949 on August 12th.

On 12 August 1949, states came together in the wake of the unprecedented death and destruction of the Second World War to adopt the Geneva Conventions. In doing so, they committed to universal redlines for how wars can be fought.

 Seventy-seven years later, the promise made by states to preserve humanity in war is eroding at an alarming pace. The world is counting more conflicts each year. Technologies like drones and cyber capabilities are reshaping the battlefield and erasing the notion of a clearly defined frontline. Atrocities are becoming dangerously normalised and the victims of war dehumanized.

In today’s interconnected world, no one is immune to the effects of war. As parties to the Geneva Conventions, states bear a unique responsibility to uphold these lifesaving rules. Doing so is a moral and strategic imperative that protects people both near and far the frontlines. It is also foundational to global peace and prosperity.

Changing course is still possible, but only if exceptional efforts are made now to strengthen respect for and commitment to international humanitarian law. More than 115 states have officially joined a global initiative to renew political will for international humanitarian law. I call on all states who have not yet joined to do so. The world future generations will inherit depends on the decisions world leaders make today to commit to preserving these lifesaving rules. (ICRC Press Release; Edited by Jun Enriquez, Digital-Mobile Journalist)

PSA of Iligan City and Lanao del Norte reveals information on Inflation statistics

Ms. Brenda Lynn M. Castro, OIC, PSA Iligan City and Lanao del Norte

 

 By Jun Enriquez

ILIGAN CITY - The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) based in Iligan City conducted a press conference dated August 13, 2026, Thursday, headed by Brenda Lynn M. Castro, Officer-in-charge, PSA of Iligan City and Lanao del Norte area.

Ms. Castro said that the highest inflation in Region 10 is Lanao del Norte with 8.3 percentage rate. Second is Iligan City with 7.9 percent inflation rate. 

  

The Inflation rate in Lanao del Norte accelerated to 8.3 percent in July 2026, higher than the 7.9 percent recorded in June 2026. This also marked an increase from the -1.8 inflation rate recorded in July 2025, indicating that prices of goods and services in the province were higher compared with the same period last year.

The Purchasing Power of Peso (PPP) was recorded at 0.75. This means that a set of goods and services bought at P75.00 in July 2018 is worth P100.00 in July 2026.

The Consumer price index (CPI) is a measure of change in the average retail prices of a fixed basket of commodities or goods and services commonly purchased by the households relative to a based year or based period. The CPI in Lanao del Norte was recorded at 133.8 in July 2026, indicating that the average price level of a fixed basket of goods and services increased by 33.8 percent compared with the 2018 based year.

There are top 3 contributors on goods and services for the month of July 2026 inflation rate for all income households in the province of Lanao del Norte. First, are the food and non-alcoholic beverages recorded at 45.4 percent; second, are housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels at 22.0 percent; and third is transport at 17.2 percent.

Another top 3 contributors to the food inflation for July 2026 for all income households of the province. First is cereals and cereal products recorded at 75.4 percent; vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses at 8.5 percent; thirdly is fish and other seafood recorded inflation at 8.0 percent. 

The Inflation rate in Iligan City slowed to 7.9 percent in July 2026 from 8.0 petcent in June 2026. However, this remained higher than the 0.1 percent inflation rate recorded in July 2025, indicating an acceleration in the pace of price increases compared with the same period of the previous year. 

There are top 3 contributors on goods and services for the month of July 2026 inflation rate for all income households in Iligan City. First, are housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels at 42.8 percent; second, are the food and non-alcoholic beverages recorded at 25.7 percent; and third is transport at 16.4 percent.

Another top 3 contributors to the food inflation for July 2026 for all income households of the City. Firstly, is cereals and cereal products recorded at 92.6 percent; secondly, is fish and other seafood recorded inflation at 17.0 percent; thirdly, are ready made food and other food products recorded at 5.5 percent inflation rate.

The PPP in Iligan City was recorded at 0.74. This means that a set of goods and services bought at P74.00 in July 2018 is worth P100.00 in July 2026.

The CPI in Iligan City was defined same as in Lanao del Norte. The CPI status in Iligan City for July 2026 was recorded at 134.6. This implies that, on average, the prices of goods and services commonly purchased by consumers were 34.6 percent higher compared with their price levels in the 2018 base year. There will be changes of CPI on month-on-month change and year-on-year change in Lanao del Norte same with Iligan City.   

In general, the Inflation rate refers to the annual rate of change or the year-on-year change of the CPI expressed in percentage. The CPI is an indicator that measures changes over time in the average retail prices of a representative basket of goods and services commonly purchased by consumers. The presents of CPI in Iligan City and Lanao del Norte for July 2025 and July 2026, with 2018 will be as the base year.

In another development, Iligan City is considered as the Industrial City of the south in the Philippines. In Labor economics situation, the industries in Iligan City produces chemical products, cement, flour, coconut oil and power generation. As the inflation rate increases, the prices of Industrial products will also increases due to the increase of raw materials locally and abroad. Therefore, the basket of goods based on the consumers price index will increase and the peso purchasing power becomes lower. In general, due to these issues, the wages of workers will demand wage increase to compensate the prevailing increases of commodities, goods and services, among others. (Written and Edited by Jun Enriquez, Digital-Moblile Journalist;  Photos by Jenifer Bagonbon, Digital-Mobile Journalist, SocMed specialist)  

Russia: ICRC president arrives in Moscow to discuss critical humanitarian issues

 

Geneva (ICRC, 01 July 2026) – The president of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Mirjana Spoljaric, arrived in Moscow for a two-day high-level visit to discuss critical humanitarian issues relating to the international armed conflict between the Russian Federation and Ukraine. The visit is also an opportunity to discuss humanitarian concerns arising from armed conflicts globally.

Meetings planned with senior Russian officials will address issues related to international humanitarian law, including the importance of protecting civilians and the infrastructure they depend on, upholding the rights of prisoners of war and other protected persons as well as clarifying the fate of missing people. 

The visit by President Spoljaric to Moscow is part of ICRC’s ongoing humanitarian dialogue with Russian authorities. The ICRC engages in such conversations with parties to conflicts to discuss their obligations under the Geneva Conventions to limit suffering in war.

By maintaining a neutral, operational presence on both sides of the front line, the ICRC delivers life-saving aid to vulnerable populations, whoever they are and wherever they are. In addition to its work in Russia and Ukraine, ICRC’s Central Tracing Agency Bureau in Geneva collects, maintains and transmits vital information regarding the fate of military personnel and civilians who have gone missing or have been separated from their families. (ICRC News Release; Posted and Edited by Jun Enriquez, Digital-Mobile Journalist)

ICRC and Asian Development Bank formalize their first institutional partnership

LOI signing between ICRC and ADB, June 10, 2026

 

Geneva (ICRC, June 11, 2026) – The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have forged an institutional partnership to pursue joint initiatives aimed at strengthening resilience in fragile and conflict-affected areas.

A letter of intent signifying the start of this formal collaboration was signed on 10 June 2026 by Fatima Yasmin, ADB vice president for sectors and themes, and Pierre Krähenbühl, director-general of the ICRC. It includes an approach to a) coordinate programmes; b) promote innovation through knowledge exchange on emerging challenges and evolving humanitarian needs; and c) share best practices through joint events, meetings and publications, among others.

With the signing of the letter of intent, ADB and the ICRC have forged a strategic, high-level cooperation that will draw on their complementary mandates to support vulnerable people living in ADB’s member countries where the ICRC operates.

“Addressing interconnected challenges requires us to work beyond traditional development approaches. This is where ICRC brings something distinctive – field presence, trusted access to affected communities and credibility in environments that ADB alone cannot reach,” said Ms Yasmin in her remarks during the signing ceremony.

ADB is a leading multilateral development bank supporting sustainable, inclusive and resilient growth across Asia and the Pacific. Working with its members and partners to solve complex challenges together, ADB harnesses innovative financial tools and strategic partnerships to transform lives, build quality infrastructure and safeguard our planet. Founded in 1966, ADB is owned by 69 members – 50 from the region.

This formal cooperation between the ICRC and ADB is a significant step in the humanitarian-development nexus, which bridges humanitarian aid with longer-term development for affected people, and may open possibilities for joint operational responses in fragile and conflict-affected settings.

“We look forward to this strategic partnership with ADB as it will allow both organizations to learn from one another, and to complement and reinforce the broader work of development actors for people affected by conflict and violence. As a neutral and independent humanitarian organization, the ICRC offers unique access, perspective and depth of experience in many conflict-affected areas around the world, including in Asia,” said Mr. Krähenbühl. (ICRC Press Release; Posted and Edited by Jun Enriquez, Digital-Mobile Journalist)

ICRC President Spoljaric meets President Marcos, Jr. during her visit in the Philippines highlighting IHL to support peace and stability

 

(L-R) Johannes Bruwer, Regis Savios, ICRC Pres. Mirjana Spoljaric, Phil Pres. Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.

BY JUN ENRIQUEZ

Manila (ICRC) – Mirjana Spoljaric, president of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), emphasised the critical role of international humanitarian law (IHL) in alleviating suffering and preserving pathways back to peace during her first official visit to the Philippines from 19 to 21 August 2025. 

At right, ICRC Pres. Mirjana Spoljaric in MAA

President Spoljaric travelled to the epicentre of the 2017 Marawi conflict, the Most affected area (MAA), where she heard from people still grappling with the lasting consequences of the fighting. She also visited a transitory shelter and the Maqbara cemetery, where unidentified human remains are buried. More than 300 families are still searching for loved ones who went missing during the conflict, while thousands of people are still displaced from their homes. 

While there is some progress eight years on with some private structures being rebuilt and small businesses thriving, majority of the properties remain damaged. Displaced families share their challenges with President Spoljaric at the Dulay transitory shelter. Eight years after the end of the Marawi conflict, many families are still living in transitory sites and are unable to rebuild. Many families are still living in transitory shelters like Dulay, eight years after the end of the Marawi conflict. Some of them have to spend a lot of money to go to the city centre, as these transitory shelters are located far from their sources of livelihood and schools.

Kairan Macatanong, IDP

Kairan Macatanung, a displaced mother, as part of the Internally displaced persons (IDPs) gets emotional during the meeting with ICRC President Spoljaric. In some shelters, people faced challenges in their access to water, livelihood and transport.

Marivic Asis and Litisia Palahang’s family members have been missing since the 2017 Marawi armed conflict. Marivic is searching for her brother while Litisia is looking for her son. Both of them talked about the challenges they face as families of missing people during a meeting with President Spoljaric at the Maqbara cemetery in Marawi.

Marivic Asis (left), Liticia Palahang (right)

The effects of armed conflict can be felt for years, if not decades, after hostilities cease. IHL obligations extend beyond active armed conflict, as seen in the Marawi conflict. 

“It is possible and essential to bring the cases of the missing to a closure. The ICRC will continue to work with the authorities and families to clarify the fate of missing people. Helping them find answers is vital for healing and recovery,” President Spoljaric said.

In Manila, ICRC President Spoljaric met Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. and other high-level officials on August 19, 2025. She reiterated the importance of IHL in reducing the human and economic costs of war globally, and stressed that the Geneva Conventions remain essential even after fighting ends. Along with the meeting were Johannes Bruwer, ICRC Head of delegation in the Philippines and Regis Savios, ICRC Regional Director for Asia Pacific. 

Marker at Maqbara cemetery

During her visit, ICRC President Spoljaric also met with Secretary Maria Theresa Lazaro of the Department of Foreign Affairs; Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, Jr. of the Department of Defense; and Lt. Gen. Rommel Roldan, deputy chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. She also engaged with the leadership of the Philippine Red Cross.

“The Philippines is an active supporter of IHL and is taking a leading role in global efforts to revitalise states’ commitment to these lifesaving rules,” President Spoljaric said. “In a world where there are approximately 130 armed conflicts – many of high intensity – we need more states to consistently champion the rules of war to reduce suffering and preserve pathways back to peace.”

(L-R):  ICRC Pres. Spoljaric, Ph Pres. Marcos, Jr.

President Marcos and Spoljaric discussed the role of the Philippines in fostering a culture of respect for International Humanitarian Law in the Asia Pacific region and the importance of the Philippines’ voice in fostering peace and dialogue amidst ongoing humanitarian crisis and armed conflict around the world.

“Upholding international humanitarian law largely rests on the firm resolve of national governments. Ultimately, we bear the responsibility of translating international commitments into domestic policies and practices to protect the most vulnerable,” said President Marcos, Jr..

Spoljaric highlighted how the Philippines’ leadership in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) can help address urgent humanitarian crises and support dialogue for ceasefires in some of the world’s hardest-hit regions.

Participants of the Asia Pacific Conference

The courtesy call comes on the heels of the International Humanitarian Law (IHL) Asia Pacific Regional Conference last August 11 to 14, 2025, co-hosted by the Philippines and the ICRC. The event provided a platform for the Philippines to share its experience in establishing an Inter-Agency Committee on IHL last year through Executive Order 77 signed by the President.

To date, the Philippines is only one of six countries in Asia Pacific with a permanent national IHL committee.

The Philippines and ICRC share a long history of partnership since World War II, and have continued to work closely in providing humanitarian assistance across the country in response to the consequences of armed conflict, natural disasters, and other crisis situation.

In the Philippines, ICRC’s work focuses on protecting civilians and those affected by conflict, visiting detention facilities and advocating humane treatment of prisoners, and restoring family links.

ICRC Pres. Spoljaric (left), DFA Sec. Maria Theresa Lazaro (right)

ICRC currently maintains offices in Manila, Cotabato, Zamboanga, Butuan, and the Visayas, and works closely with the Philippine Red Cross (PRC), its leading partner since the 1970s.

ICRC is an impartial, neutral, and independent humanitarian organization established in 1863 and based in Geneva, Switzerland. Its mission is to protect the lives and dignity of people affected by armed conflict and other situations of violence, and to promote respect for international humanitarian law.

About 18,000 staff working in around 100 countries, the ICRC responds to emergencies, supports victims of conflict, and works with governments, armed groups, and communities to uphold humanitarian principles. (With reports by ICRC News release; Malacanang News release; Photos by Noel Celis/ICRC and Alex Ruelo/ICRC)

 

Philippines: States in Asia Pacific region commit to greater support for rules of war during regional conference

 

Participants during the opening of the IHL regional conference in Manila, held from 11 to 14 August 2025 at New World Hotel in Makati City. 

 BY JUN ENRIQUEZ

Manila (ICRC) –At least 24 states from the Asia Pacific region have committed to greater political support for international humanitarian law (IHL), or the rules of war to be observed every month of August each year.

This was agreed upon by their representatives during an IHL regional conference in Manila, themed “Galvanising Commitment to International Humanitarian Law: Challenges and Opportunities in the Asia Pacific Region.” The annual event, held from 11 to 14 August 2025, was co-hosted by the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), with support from the Philippine Inter-Agency Committee on IHL. Different states host the conference each year.

“This conference allowed states in this region to strengthen their dialogue and partnership on key IHL issues in our world today. It served as a venue for participants to discuss the challenges that they have faced in relation to IHL as well as its key legal frameworks; while sharing good practices, lessons learned and achievements in the domestic implementation of the law,” said Johannes Bruwer, head of delegation of the ICRC in the Philippines. 

Johannes Bruwer, Head of Delegation in Ph ICRC

“The conference is one of several platforms of our work to promote respect for IHL and its integration in law and policy among states or parties to the conflict. All states around the world are parties to the Geneva Conventions and they have an obligation to respect and ensure respect for IHL in policy and on the ground,” he added.

Participants engaged in discussions that put into sharp focus critical humanitarian issues—from the protection of health care facilities and workers to the rights of persons in the hands of parties to the conflict. They examined how states can strengthen their implementation of IHL obligations, and how international law continues to evolve to meet the challenges of warfare at sea. Humanitarian disarmament and the responsible use of information and communication technologies in conflict were also included in the agenda. 

Participants of the States in Asia Pacific Conference

There are around 130 ongoing armed conflicts in the world, with notably higher violations of IHL. There is a need for states to create an environment where IHL becomes of primary importance, to prevent the enormous and lasting humanitarian consequences of conflicts.

The ICRC said that the conference’s host country for this year, the Philippines, has ratified around 35 treaties and implemented domestic laws to support IHL. Early this year, it launched the Inter-Agency Committee on IHL, making the Philippines one of four members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to have a permanent national committee on IHL. 

DFA Asst. Secretary Maria Teresa T. Almojuela

The regional conference provides participants with an opportunity to engage in substantive discussions in relation to the global initiative to galvanise political commitment to IHL, which was launched on 27 September 2024 by the ICRC, together with Brazil, China, France, Jordan, Kazakhstan and South Africa. The initiative aims to mobilize state leaders all over the world to make IHL a political priority. This means that whenever armed conflicts are discussed, whether in an international, regional or domestic forum, IHL is part of the equation.

All states have been invited to join this initiative. So far, over 75 states have expressed support for the initiative.

Aside from working with states on the implementation of IHL and integration in military doctrine, training and policy, the ICRC continues to hold bilateral and confidential dialogue with states and non-state actors on their obligations to comply with the rules of war and to address alleged violations.

Mirjana Spoljaric, ICRC Pres.

"Seventy-six years ago today, the world made a solemn promise through the Geneva Conventions that even in war, there are limits. Today, that promise is under serious threat," said Mirjana Spoljaric, ICRC President. She said the rules remain, but the commitment to uphold them is weakening with catastrophic consequences for people trapped in conflict. These rules were not created to serve the powerful. They exist to protect the powerless: the civilian caught in the crossfire, the wounded on the battlefield, and prisoners behind bars.

Spoljaric finally said, respect for the rules of war is not optional. The protective power of IHL is only as strong as leaders' political will to uphold it. the next 76 years of the Geneva Conventions will be defined by the choices they make today to preserve - or abandon -humanity in war.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is a neutral, impartial and independent organization with an exclusively humanitarian mandate that stems from the Geneva Conventions of 1949. It helps people around the world affected by armed conflict and other violence, doing everything it can to protect their lives and dignity and to relieve their suffering, often alongside its Red Cross and Red Crescent partners. (With reports from ICRC news release; Photos by Alex Ruelo/ICRC)